SOUTHWICK, Mass. (WWLP) – Southwick’s police dog will retire at the end of the month following a decade of service to the town and surrounding communities.

Police dog Jax, a Belgian Malinois, began his duties as an officer in May of 2007. Among many accomplishments in the last 10 years, he and his handler Officer Thomas Krutka were presented with the Massachusetts Police Working Dog Association’s Narcotic Detection Team of the Year award in 2014.

Just like their human counterparts, there comes a time in every police dogs career to retire. For Jax, a 10 year veteran of the Southwick Police Department, that time has come after 10 years in the department.

Officer Thomas Krutka of the Southwick Police Department told 22News, “He’s still in great shape he’s still healthy, so he’s being retired strictly because of his age he just turned 11 years old. He has a little bit of arthritis in his back leg, out of fairness to him he’s done his time so it’s just time for him to be a dog.”

In Jax 10 years with the Southwick Police Department he’s had many major accomplishments, including two major drug busts.

“Through an investigation we searched a storage unit, out of approximately 100 storage units Jax hit on one which resulted over 119 pound of marijuana and 1.2 million dollars in cash,” said Officer Krutka.

Jax and officer Krutka were recognized as the narcotics team of the year for that drug bust.

Now, Jax will go on to live a life full of leisure at home with Officer Krutka. Jax has a Golden Retriever brother at home to keep him company in his retirement.